1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an LED lighting device, and more particularly, to an LED lighting device that is capable of being directly connected to a socket for a fluorescent lamp to prevent an electric circuit from being damaged even though an overvoltage of stabilizer is introduced while using power supplied from the stabilizer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fluorescent lamp is a lighting mechanism using visible light that is generated by sealing a discharging gas in a glass tube having an inner wall coated with a fluorescence material to allow ultraviolet light, which is generated by discharging the discharging gas, to collide with the fluorescence material. The fluorescent lamp requires relatively low power consumption and has a relatively long lifecycle when compared to those of a filament lamp used for an initial lighting mechanism. Thus, the fluorescent lamp is being used as a primary lighting device for a long time. However, the fluorescent lamp has an environmental problem in which mercury is generated when the fluorescent lamp is wasted. Thus, the fluorescent lamp is restrained in use.
Also, since a lighting device using a light emitting diode (LED) is more effective in energy saving than the fluorescent lamp and has a long lifecycle, the lighting device using LED is being spotlighted in recent years.
Although the LED lighting device has various advantages as described above, the fluorescent lamp may not be replaced with the LED lighting device because the LED lighting device does not use a typical socket connected to the fluorescent lamp due to a difference in driving manner between the fluorescent lamp and the LED. That is, the LED lighting device includes a driving circuit converting a commercial AC power applied to the fluorescent lamp to a rated DC power for operating the LED.
To solve these problems, many technologies on the LED lighting device connected to the socket for the fluorescent lamp in a state where the stabilizer is not removed are being suggested.
However, in the LED lighting device connected to the typical socket for the fluorescent lamp, only an electric circuit for simply converting an AC power into a DC power for driving the LED is disclosed.
Thus, the LED lighting device connected to the typical socket for the fluorescent lamp is inadequate in countermeasure with respect to a problem that occurs when an overvoltage generated by momentary discharge in the stabilizer is applied from the socket.
Also, it is suggested that the LED lighting device connected to the socket for the fluorescent lamp, which is disclosed in the related art so as to block the overvoltage, has a structure in which the electric circuit is broken by using a fuse and a varistor when the overvoltage is introduced as a countermeasure with respect to the overvoltage generated from the stabilizer. However, according to this method, since the circuit is in an inoperable state due to the complete cutting of the fuse, the circuit may not operate any more even though a normal voltage is applied later.